Cloud computing is a process that gets increasingly welcomed within the IT areas. In fact, according to a survey published in Forbes magazine, by 2020 83% of the workload in companies will be in the cloud. It is a considerable figure, especially if you consider that until recently the term cloud or cloud computing was unknown or you did not know what it was referring. Today business practices require not only their knowledge and use but migration to this type of models due to the benefits in costs and performance, among others.
What is Cloud Computing?
Cloud computing or cloud computing is a technology by which the resources of the local computer get dispensed with and the computational storage capacity and internet-based storage – the cloud – is exploited. In this measure, only an internet connection is necessary to access resources that the local user does not have.
Now, from a more conceptual perspective, cloud computing ends up being a change in the paradigm since it proposes a panorama in which access to information and technological infrastructure is practically ubiquitous. In this order of ideas, a manager can review and modify the progress of a project in real time from his cell phone, that is without the need to have the technological infrastructure in situ, from anywhere in the world.
The term cloud is used as a metaphor for the internet because flowcharts usually represent it with this figure. However, cloud computing is a term attributed to John McCarthy, who is 1961 was the first to mention the idea that computer time-sharing technology could lead to later processing power could sell as a service.
How does cloud computing work?
In principle, the essential element in cloud computing is the cloud itself, i.e., the internet. Based on this, let’s illustrate an example in which a user decides to work with an X provider. Once he accepts the terms and conditions, he has access to the computing power that said provider offers him; be storage space, high demand processing power or even software or platform.
Despite appearing distant, this cloud is closer than you think. It is very likely that you are in it right now. The top 5 apps in the cloud for consumers currently are:
- YouTube
An example of a cloud storage service that you have surely used is Google Drive. This is just one of the many features of the Google Suite. Through it, a user can store from 15 GB to 10 TB.
Where is the cloud?
It is clear that all resources in the cloud are tangible, therefore physical and “real”. In this order of ideas, the cloud services are located in the offices of the provider that the user has chosen, such as the Google or Facebook offices.
Cloud types
There are 3 main types of cloud:
Private- Private clouds are those that offer computer services through a private internal network, exclusive to some users and not available to the general public. It is also known as an internal or corporate cloud.
Public- The public cloud is those computer services that are offered by external providers through the Internet. Therefore, they are available to everyone.
Hybrid- This type of cloud combines both characteristics, which allows a dynamic between clouds, depending on the needs and the costs that get counted. This solution is the most flexible of all.
Now, there are a series of categories within the clouds described above which are:
- Software as a Service (SaaS)
- Platform as Services (PaaS)
- Infrastructure as a service (IaaS)
Benefits of cloud computing
It is important to keep in mind that although cloud services offer many benefits, they depend on the nature of the company that wants to implement them. In this order of ideas, some operations may not be as convenient for IT areas. The main benefits are:
- Investment costs- because there is no need to invest in infrastructure, the initial investment costs are much lower.
- “Unlimited” resources- the resources that can get hired in the cloud are practically unlimited. That is, you can always access more storage space, more processing power or more robust applications.
- Zero maintenance- since the entire infrastructure is in charge of a third party, the IT areas are focused on more operational functions, instead of high maintenance and updating processes.
- Security- in case of being considered a public cloud, providers usually have the most robust security systems available in the market. In this way, any cyber attacks get avoided.
- Information security- by having the information hosted on servers of suppliers with extensive infrastructure, the processes of backup of data (backup) are constant, so it is practically impossible that there is the loss of data.
Conclusions
The cloud is here to stay. Mobility, access, and flexibility are essential characteristics of today’s managers. In this order of ideas, it is necessary to be at the forefront and create strategic alliances with suppliers of importance in this type of service. From this point of view, the Google suite is by far the best ally regarding costs, implementation and above all, innovation, not in vain is the largest Internet company on the market today.
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